Home
by Miaka Kennyuuki
Summary: The wars are over and the Gundam pilots want a place to call home. The found it, somewhere in the Scottish Highlands. An unplottable castle steeped in magic...HPGW X-over
1. Default Chapter

Title: Home

Author: Miaka Kennyuuki

Category: Gundam Wing/Harry Potter X-over

Genre: Action/Adventure, Humor

Pairings: None this time, only bonds of close friendship (but if you are one of my usual readers, you know what to expect eventually. Watch out for hints!)

Warnings: language, Shounen ai hints

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I do not own Shin Kodousenki Gundam Wing or Harry Potter. Both are the property of Hajime Yatate and J.K. Rowlings respectively. Copyright infringement not intended.  
  
Prologue: _A Place to Call Home  
_  
The Scottish Highlands in late summer were quite a site to behold. Hundred year old trees rose up high in the sky, just turning the rustic brown, yellow and red colors in preparation for autumn. Hidden from the view of any close by Scottish towns, a beautiful stone castle stood. It rose eight stories up on its main floors, and even higher in its many towers and turrets. The grounds surrounding it were slightly neglected but still vibrant and beautiful.  
  
"We'll take it," said the young oriental boy leaning against one of the large trees on the grounds. The Realtor of the estate, Marcus Redwall, sputtered. The castle was easily worth millions.  
  
"You sure, Wu-man? Looks like it'll need a lot of work to get it back to its former glory," said a boy with long chestnut brown hair braided tightly and bright cobalt blue eyes.  
  
"I am sure. It will occupy us. And maybe even keep you busy for a bit, Duo," the oriental boy said with a smirk, onyx eyes warm. The braided boy, Duo, pouted, and then grinned happily.  
  
"Finally, a place to call our own. I'm so excited!" he cried, spinning in a circle. "I'm gonna love it here. And you will too, ne, Hee-chan?"  
  
"Hn," answered a shorter boy with unruly brown hair wearing a green tank top and black spandex shorts. "It is acceptable."  
  
"Glad you approve, Heero. I wouldn't buy it otherwise," piped up a cute boy with feather light blond hair and big aquamarine eyes. "I want us to have a place where we can be happy, a place to call home."  
  
"Hopefully this is that place, Quatre," said a tall auburn haired boy beside the blond. The boy had oddly styled hair that fell in a thick bang over his green eyes, leaving one visible. "I also want a place to call home."  
  
"And once we're done, everyone can come visit!" Duo yelled happily. "Your sister, Iria, Q-man, or maybe even Hee-chan's main squeeze, Relena-san."  
  
Heero growled. "Relena is not my "main squeeze", Duo," he snapped. "Our relationship is purely professional."  
  
"Pull the other one, buddy. She's so in love with you I'm surprised you guys aren't picking out wedding china together right at this moment," Duo grumbled, annoyed at being snapped at.  
  
"So you are purchasing it, Mr. Winner?" asked the Realtor, anxious to sell the place and get away from the strange group of teens.  
  
"I think I would like to hear more about this place, Mr. Redwall," Quatre said, nodding his head toward the castle. "I understand it has quite a history?"  
  
"Yes, Mr. Winner. According to our documents, this castle has stood here for over 400 years, before the After Colony calendar started. For about 200 years no one knew it was even here. About 50 years ago a farmer from Hogermed stumbled across it. It was like it suddenly appeared. It also is almost invisible to radar, though we do not know how.  
  
"It was originally named Hogwarts, back when Hogermed was called Hogsmeade. Now it is simply called Castle. No one knows why the owners, the Pottiers, haven't renamed it. Something to do with a legend about magic and evil dark wizards and some such nonsense.  
  
"Back then, Hogwarts was a school for children 11-18 years of age, a very exclusive boarding school. From what people have said, they aren't sure what exactly the exclusion was. Some of the children who went to Hogwarts were homeless or orphaned, most were regular children, and some where from the highest families in European society.  
  
"Eventually there was some war or other, and Hogwarts closed down. Several people died and the castle was given to the Pottiers through several legal loops," Marcus finished.  
  
"Wow," Duo said, awed at the story and the castle itself. "So why are the owners selling it?"  
  
"Ms. Pottier and her family have fallen on hard times, Mr. Maxwell. Though they love this place dearly, they intend to sell it to relieve their financial burden," Marcus said.  
  
"Oh, how terrible!" Quatre cried. "Those poor people." Trowa patted him on the shoulder. A determined look came over the blond's face. "I want to meet with these Pottiers."  
  
"Mr. Winner, this is unusual in the case of selling a place such as this-- ."  
  
"I wish to meet with the Pottiers, Mr. Redwall. You will contact them for me. Understood?" Quatre snapped.  
  
"Of course, Mr. Winner. Right away," Marcus gulped.  
  
"Good. We will be returning to our lodgings in Hogermed. Have the Pottiers contact us there. Good day, Mr. Redwall," Quatre said, giving the nervous man a slight nod.  
  
"And to you, Mr. Winner, Mr. Maxwell, Mr. Yuy, Mr. Barton, Mr. Chang," the Realtor said, bowing to each in turn. Formalities over with, the poor man dashed to his silver Honda Accord and sped off.  
  
"Jeez, Quat, something wrong?" Duo asked, moving over to the blond and adding his own hand to Quatre's free shoulder. "You really blew up at that Redwall guy."  
  
Quatre simply sighed. "I just feel so sorry for those poor Pottiers. They have to sell this beautiful home so that they may become financially stable. I really want this castle, but I feel bad about taking it from them."  
  
"It is their decision what happens to their castle, Winner. I am sure they have already cut all emotional ties with the place as soon as they even considered selling. It is common sense not to be too affected by a sale such as this," Wufei added. "Do not worry yourself overmuch."  
  
"Thank you, Wufei. I will try to remember that," Quatre said, sighing. He smiled softly at the group. "Who wants to come with me to meet the Pottiers tomorrow?"  
  
"I shall accompany you," Wufei said, gaze toward the looming castle.  
  
"As will I," said Trowa. Quatre nodded to both.  
  
"In that case, why don't you and Heero explore the countryside and the town a bit, Duo?" he said, smiling. Duo grinned back and nodded. "All right, then. Let's head back to the hotel for some dinner."  
  
The group agreed and headed to where their limo was parked in the shadow of an oak tree. No one noticed the shape hiding in the shadows, watching them intently as they left.  
  
The next afternoon found the three of the five former Gundam pilots sitting in a local restaurant awaiting the arrival of the Pottier family. Wufei was his usual tense and bored self, Trowa didn't make a single sound, and Quatre stirred his Earl Grey tea distractedly.  
  
"Is this really a good idea?" he asked aloud, drawing the attention of his companions. "Buying this castle, I mean. I know we all want a place of our own to call home after the war, someplace that will always be there, but I just don't feel right about taking it from this family."  
  
"Relax, Winner. We all agreed that this is the place for us. We all like it, which is rare. Even Yuy expressed his approval, in his own way. We will get this house, regardless," Wufei said. "Deal with the Pottiers however you wish; feel sympathy for them, but you will buy that castle."  
  
Quatre nodded. "Alright Wufei, I understand. I just want to assess them for myself. I apologize."  
  
"No need, Winner. You did nothing wrong," Wufei said, giving the blond a small smile. Quatre was most likely the only person he ever smiled for, aside from Duo. Something about the two boys begged indulgence. Even Heero occasionally gave Quatre or Duo a half-smile.  
  
"Quatre Winner?" a quiet, feminine voice said, interrupting their conversation. Quatre turned to the young black haired girl before them. She was short, unremarkable features, grey eyes, and an air about her that suggested she was raised with wealth.  
  
"Yes, I am Quatre Raberba Winner. These are my associates, Trowa Barton and Chang Wufei. Who might you be?" Quatre said.  
  
"My name is Arina Celestia Pottier, Mr. Winner. I own the Castle," the girl said. The three boys stared. This young girl was the Lady Pottier? They were under the impression that the Pottiers' were a large family. Quatre voiced this opinion. "No, Mr. Winner. We _were_ a large family. Recently, a strange disease passed through the Pottier family and several of my relatives died. All that is left is my younger brother, Ryan and I."  
  
Tears welled up in Quatre's eyes and Trowa sent him a supportive look. Wufei touched his hand under the table, giving him some small comfort. They knew how much situations such as this affected the blond. He hated the thought of anyone in pain, in any way.  
  
"You are now the Lady Pottier?" he asked, knowing any condolences he passed would not do much to alleviate the pain she must feel at the loss of her family. The girl nodded. "Why must you sell your estate, then?"  
  
Arina took a seat and folded her hands in her lap. "The obvious reason is that my brother and I have no use for a home with more than 200 rooms. It is much too big for us, and we'd rather rent an apartment here in Hogermed or move away," she began. "But the truth is, my father left quite a lot of debts, as well as my seven uncles, four aunts, and various older cousins. I am only sixteen and have not worked a day in my life. I have no money. Ryan is barely eight, so he can't work for several years."  
  
"Isn't there a way for you to keep your home?" Quatre asked, receiving muted glares from Trowa and Wufei. He knew there weren't exactly appreciating his current line of questioning, since they wanted the castle badly themselves.  
  
"Unfortunately, no. The only way our lawyer could see was giving all internal furniture to the bank to pay off some of the debts, and signing a release form so the bank could have half-ownership of the castle until I can pay it off," Arina said. "But I am not naïve. I know that as soon as I sign off part of the castle the bank will buy enough to have preceding ownership and take it from me, maybe even turning the place into a tourist attraction. I do not wish that for the Castle."  
  
"I understand," Quatre murmured. He looked up into the girl's eyes. "That reminds me. Why is the Castle without a proper name?" At this the girl smiled.  
  
"It's actually an interesting story, Mr. Winner," she began. "It all started when my ancestor Harry Potter became the owner of Hogwarts..."

"Come on, Hee-chan! Look at this! And this! Oh, and this! Wow, this market is amazing!" Duo cried, spinning in a happy circle and bending over stall after stall in glee. "Look at this jewelry! What workmanship, what skill!" Grinning, Duo handed over some of his weekly allowance (given by Quatre) to purchase a sapphire pendant on a silver chain.  
  
Hurrying over to an impassive Heero, Duo threw his arms around the Japanese boy's neck. Heero's eyes widened slightly, and then slanted in a deadly glare. "Having fun, Hee-chan?" Duo asked. He released Heero and the Wing pilot looked down in mild surprise at the pendant fastened around his neck. "Ya like? I think it matches your eyes, even if the shade is a bit off." With a happy grin, Duo grabbed Heero's hand and headed to another stall.  
  
This time the stall contained strange robes, much like what a witch or wizard would wear. Each robe, when donned, would conform to someone's body, showing it to its best advantage. And Duo couldn't turn down something that could show him off. "Oi, Hee-chan, let's get some of these for the guys," he said, scanning the multicolored robes. He also saw some matching cloaks, some thin for summer and some thicker for winter.  
  
The stall owner, a tall woman with long, wavy black hair and black eyes, smiled at them. Actually, she more smirked than smiled. It seemed to suit her. "Hullo. Welcome to Severa Lupis's robe shop. I am Severa Lupis. How may I help you?" she said in a drawling, slightly oily voice.  
  
"Hi, Miss Lupis. The name's Duo Maxwell, and me and my buddy here would like to select a few robes. Oh, and maybe some winter cloaks, too," Duo said, smiling back at the woman.  
  
"Of course, Mr. Maxwell. Let's see about measuring you--," she began.  
  
"No need, Miss Lupis. I know the measurements of my friends and I perfectly. Is it okay if I just tell you?" Duo interrupted.  
  
"Not a problem, Mr. Maxwell. Right this way," she said, leading the blue- eyed boy further into the tent beside her stall. "I suggest black or dark blue robes for you. It would compliment your coloring, and look splendid on your slim figure." Duo blushed at the compliments.  
  
Severa led him to a cordoned off section of the tent and handed him a black robe. "Try this on, sir. I'll be right--," as she was turning around she'd bumped into the solid presence of Heero. "I suppose you would like to try something on also, sir. Green would be good. Emerald green, I think. Yes, this will do perfectly. Right this way, sir." Severa pushed a glaring Heero into the dressing section beside Duo's and tossed an emerald green robe set over the top. She thought she heard some foreign curse words, but shrugged it off.  
  
"Done!" came Duo's happy call from his own dressing room. He came out of his dressing room and Severa gasped. The boy looked like a true wizard. The robe fit snugly at his waist, flaring out when it reached his thighs and swirling around his ankles. The shoulders were tight and fell into voluminous sleeves that fell straight to his wrist. Around the wrist the sleeve tightened a bit before billowing out again. The color really set off his pale skin tone and made him glow.  
  
"Whoa, Hee-chan, you look great!" Duo said, interrupting whatever feeble comment Severa would have attempted. She followed Duo's line of vision and almost fell over. If Duo looked like a true wizard, Heero looked like a Master wizard, the emerald green robes fitting so tightly you couldn't miss a single muscle on his wiry form. Unlike Duo's, Heero's robe flared out immediately at the waist, defining the chest and shoulders even more. The robe had no sleeves, leaving the wearer the option of either wearing a shirt or nothing at all. In Heero's case, it looked great.  
  
"My, my, boys. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were right out of the age of Hogwarts. Those robes suit you perfectly," she said, smiling for the first time since she'd seen them. She reserved her smirks for normal costumers. These two young men were anything but normal.  
  
"Thanks, lady," Duo said, grinning and preening a bit. He never got many compliments, especially being an ex-terrorist from L2.  
  
"Age of Hogwarts?" Heero questioned, surprising Duo. Heero normally said as little as possible. For once he was interested in something.  
  
"Oh, you don't know about that? Well, let me tell you," Severa said. "It all started with my great-something or other-grandfather Severus Snape. You see, he..."

All five boys reached their hotel at about the same time, walking into the lobby together. Quatre, Trowa and Wufei looked sad and intrigued at the same time, Duo looked excited, and Heero looked...well, like Heero.  
  
When they reached their common sitting room (their five rooms connected to this room), Quatre smiled at Duo and Heero. "How'd your shopping trip go?"  
  
"Great, Kitkat!" Duo said happily. "I bought Heero that pendant he's wearing," he began. The three boys looked closely at Heero's new acquisition. "And we met this stall lady who owned, of all things, a robe shop! I bought some for each of you. Heero helped me out, since I'd already used my weekly allowance for the pendant."  
  
Duo reached into a bag beside him and pulled out a sky blue set of robes. He tossed it to Quatre. "Kittykat....." He rustled around and brought out a dark brown set. "Tro tro...." He pulled out a dark red set. "Wu-chan..." He brought out the emerald set they'd tried on earlier. "Hee-man...he looked fantastic in these." He pulled out the final set, a black set of robes. "And me! Oh, and I got you all winter cloaks too! I figure if we're gonna end up living here, we might as well wear the cloaks this winter." He passed around a set of black winter cloaks with silver clamps for everyone.  
  
Quatre had already shrugged off his shirt and slipped the sky blue robes on over his jeans. It fit snugly, if not as tightly as Duo's. The cut was much the same, flaring at the thighs. The sleeves were thin and stopped at the wrist. The color made Quatre's eyes all the more prominent.  
  
Knowing it would please Duo if he tried his on; Trowa followed Quatre's lead and threw off his shirt. He slipped into the dark brown robes, the color of freshly turned earth. The cut was completely different from Quatre's. Instead of fitting snugly, it fell in a straight line all the way to the floor. His sleeves were also different. They were wide and loose, falling past his wrists, and had a wide slit on the front of each so his entire forearm showed.  
  
Wufei had already donned his robe while everyone was distracted with Trowa and Quatre. Finally Heero noticed and nudged Duo to look at the red clad boy. Duo wolf whistled and Wufei's face darkened a noticeable red. The robe Wufei wore was tight like the others, but when it reached his waist, flared slightly and fell straight to the ground. Folds Duo hadn't noticed before revealed that the robes were red and black mixed together. Black trim covered the arms in an intricate, barely noticeable design. The red was so dark you could hardly see it. The robe sleeves fell like that of a regular t-shirt, stopping halfway down his upper arm. Wufei's usual black arm bands actually enhanced the look, giving a small hint of why the sleeves were so short.  
  
"Wow, Wuffie, you clean up good," Duo said, grinning. Wufei's blush deepened.  
  
"Whatever, Maxwell," he said. All three took of their robes and lay them on the sofa. "Anything else?"  
  
"Nope. How 'bout you guys?" Duo asked.  
  
"We met up with the Pottiers," Quatre began, refastening his shirt as was Wufei and Trowa. "Or should I say, the Pottier. There are only two left, the new Lady, who is sixteen like us, and her younger brother. All the other Pottier's died from some disease she wouldn't go into detail about."  
  
"Sheesh! Tough luck," Duo muttered.  
  
"She's selling the house because her family left her some large debts," Trowa said.  
  
"Did you ever find out why the castle's name got changed? I really wanna know," Duo said.  
  
"As a matter of fact, we did. Miss Arina told us a story," Quatre began.  
  
"Really? So did Miss Lupis, the shop owner. Tell us your story, and we'll tell you ours," Duo said, grinning.  
  
"Alright. Well, it went like this. It all started when Miss Arina's ancestor, Harry Potter, became owner of Hogwarts..."  
  
TBC  
  
Ha!!! Cliffhanger on the first chapter!!! Three times!!! I am GOOD! Hey hey, gang. Sorry for the long wait on Circle of five, but this is more important. My idiot little brother actually thinks he can write better than me. ME! I almost died laughing. But we started up this contest where we write a story loosely based on the main idea of the GW gang buying Hogwarts in their time and being sucked into Harry Potter's time. Everything else is fair game. Soooo, this story should be at chapter six in three weeks. Expect frequent postings! Ja, loves!  
  
Miaka (A Better Writer Than Her Bro) Kennyuuki  
  
P.S. Also, anyone reading DrkNuriko's stuff, something happened, we're not sure what, and deleted her account. She's not back from vacation yet, so she can't do anything about it, soooo shrug More news later. Ja ne.


	2. Hogwarts: A History aka The Pink Panther...

Hey there! Sorry for the long wait, but you wouldn't _believe_ the incredibly bad luck I have! To most people this would sound like a total lie and stupid excuse, but I live in Florida and we were hit by horricane Charley and tropical depression Bonnie, and my house isn't looking to good. Plus, last Friday, when it hit, power went out and just came back on about three days ago. But not the cable. And my internet runs off of cable, so I finally got that back a yesterday.

So in celebration of the event, I finished typing up this chapter! Oh, and I typed chapter 3 of Waiting To Tell You. I'm trying to update everything, but it's hard, and I still have a lot of cleaning the do. The neighborhood is in shambles.

Anyway, I'm dedicating this chapter to all the reviewers who noticed this quick little piece of work. First off:

**ChibiNekoSakura **- I'll try to update CoF soon, but no promises. I hate breaking them. As for pairings, I decided to screw the bonds of friendship and put my favorite babies together. It'll be 1/2, 3/4, 5/OC, H/D, and I'm still trying to create someone who can handle Sevvy-poo.

**Kanashii Wolf** - I'd like to thank you for the brilliant comment ::blush::And just so you know, I'm currently taking art, so I'm drawing up the G-boys in their robes. Drop me your email and I'll send you Wu as soon as I finish painting him.

**CuriousDreamWeaver** - You are the best. I actually dread the day I write something and you don't read it! I think your dedication deserves a reward. I have this awesome pic of fairy Trowa that I just finished, and I think you'll like it. Expect it soon, and email me with someone you'd like to see drawn and I'll do it.

**Kairi099** - I too wish there was a shop for robes. Unfortunately, so far the only way you can get them is by paying a tailor about $200. le sighOh well. This is for you

**Starlit Hope** - Er...thanks?

**RainOwl**Here you go, Rain. Cute name.

**Griffen - **Thanks for the compliment. I plan to have Fred and George give Duo a run for his money. Hehe...

**Saotoshi - **Nothing much to say to the best bud ever except thanks for bothering to read my crap all the time! Update Beware of Strangers! And more poems! I loved them.

**Shinimegami-Rin** - Thanks, Rin. Wish I could show you my bro's, but he's kind of a slow writer, plus he loves his PS2 a bit much. shrug I'll see what I can do.

**YYHgurl** - I have to say that I honestly should give you the most attention. That was a very intelligent review. I like people who withhold their opinion until they know more. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you!

**Kimpatsu no Hoseki** - I hope this is as fun as before. Enjoy! Oh, and what does your name mean?

**DrkNuriko** - Nuri-chan!!!:: glomp::Thanks for checking it out. I'm still trying with Magic and Mobile Suits. The horricane screwed a lot up. Hope you're situated soon! Love ya!

Title: Home

Author: Miaka Kennyuuki

Category: Gundam Wing/Harry Potter X-over

Genre: Action/Adventure, Humor

Pairings: None this time, only bonds of close friendship

Warnings: language, Shounen ai hints

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I do not own Shin Kodousenki Gundam Wing or Harry Potter. Both are the property of Hajime Yatate and J.K. Rowlings respectively. Copyright infringement not intended.

Chapter Warning: Most of this is common knowledge about Harry Potter, so skim it until you get to the new parts. I'll mark them for you with a [X].

Chapter One: _Hogwarts: A History aka The Pink Panther Appears_

"Harry Potter was known to the wizarding world as the Boy-Who-Lived, because when he was a child, his parents, freedom fighters James and Lily Potter, died at the hands of the evil lord Voldemort and he survived the curse that killed them. There was something about a scar, but that's not important," Quatre began.

"Anyway, during Harry's sixth year, the final battle between him and Voldemort – Voldemort held a grudge against him because of his survival – Harry finally defeated Voldemort. He finished his sixth year, went on to his seventh year, graduated, married – though Miss Arina didn't say to whom – and had children.

"[**X**] After he graduated, the Headmaster of Hogwarts died, and it was brought to light that Hogwarts was the property of the Slytherin family, and was built on Slytherin land. According to the legend of the founders, all four agreed that the perfect spot was in Scotland, and Salazar Slytherin was the only one who had property there.

"So Hogwarts was thrown into this big controversy with the Ministry of Magic, people popping up with claims to the Slytherin line and Hogwarts. Some of the claims were actually valid, but most were just desperate bids to own the castle that was renowned around the world as the greatest school of magic.

"One day, while searching through old family documents, Harry Potter came across a tapestry that followed the lineage of his family, on both sides. He discovered that he was directly related to Salazar Slytherin on his mother's side and that made him the Heir of Slytherin. His spouse – still unknown – pushed him into vocalizing his claim.

"It caused quite an uproar in the wizarding world, finding out that their Savior was actually the Heir of Slytherin. Many people lost respect for him, thinking him evil. Especially the ones who went to school with him. It caused him to become quite downhearted and the only thing that kept him going was his children and his spouse.

"Finally, after almost one hundred years of this treatment, the wizarding world settled down, and Harry Potter died. His son - name unknown – saw what the people and Hogwarts had done to his father, and after 50 years he closed down the school. His daughter started it up again 30 years later, but after finding the diaries of both her grandfather and father, stating what Hogwarts had done to them, she closed it down again and renamed it the Castle.

"She died and the Castle went to the Potters French cousins, the Pottiers, and has been in its family since then." Quatre took a deep breath and let it out. "So, what do you think?"

"Sounds pretty political. Everything happened simply because of one guys bloodline," said Duo. "Me and Hee-chan heard an even better story from Miss Lupis. We..." Before Duo could continue, a knock came at the door. Trowa went to answer it. One of the maids of the hotel stood there.

"'Scuse me, sirrahs. But me boss says there's a message waitin' for ye in the lobby, and ta come quickly," she said, her thick Scottish brogue slurring the words.

"Thank you, miss," Quatre said politely, and stood. The maid left. He turned back to the other boys. "I think a message only warrants one of us. Who would like to go?"

"Allow me," said Wufei, standing. "I shall be back soon." With that, he left.

"Wonder what's in the message," Duo said. "Maybe the Docs finally found us."

"You might be right. We can only hope Heero's trail holds true. I'm not worried, though. He's never let us down," Quatre said. "Except for that one time in Bangladesh..."

"That was at the beginning of the war," Heero growled, actually almost pouting. The group laughed.

**qpqpqpqpqp**

Wufei arrived in the lobby in less than five minutes and immediately headed to the information desk. Attending the desk was a short blonde woman with bright blue eyes and an easy smile. Her nametag read 'Sandry.'

"May I help ye, sirrah?" she said, her brogue also thick but a bit more cultured.

"A maid came earlier and said something about a message?" Wufei asked.

"Oh, yes, sir. I have it right here. From a Miss Peacecraft-Dorlian, it be," Sandry said, pointing at the name on the envelope she handed him. Wufei took it and opened it, skimming the contents. His breath caught, and he read through it a second time more slowly.

"No..." he whispered, face pale, shaking his head in denial.

"You alright, sirrah?" Sandry asked, watching Wufei with concern and bewilderment. Wufei could only shake his head, staring at the missive in his hand.

_Dearest Heero (And the rest of you),_

_How are you? I heard you went to Scotland to look at a home._

The hell she did, Wufei thought sarcastically.

_How is it there? I looked at some brochures on the plane and it sounds like such a plebeian place. But I guess Maxwell convinced you. I know it's his 'scene' or what ever it is those ruffians call it._

Wufei glared at the letter, the insult to Duo feeling like a slight upon himself. The five pilots were like brothers, and comments such as this were never taken lightly. As his rage rose, one line in particularly caught him. On the plane? Surely she hadn't...

_Anyway, Doro and I decided to take a little vacation and come visit you. It has been ever so dull at the palace, what with all these peace talks and such. We agreed that it was time to take a vacation, hopefully an extended one..._

"No," Wufei muttered, aghast. She was bringing the freaky eyebrow onna with her?!

_Milliardo, as you know, has reassumed the place of ruler of Sanq while I am Vice Foreign Minister[1], and he insisted that I bring Miss Lucrezia Noin and Miss Sally Po with me..._

"No!" Wufei breathed. The military brat and the doctor?! Had his world crumbled around him?

_We were going to bring Mariemeia, but it was decided that she was too young..._

"Bless you, Nataku," Wufei murmured.

_Luckily, we managed to convince Miss Hilde Schbeiker to come. She might be an ex-Oz soldier, but she wanted to see Duo, so I brought her along._

"Oh shit," Wufei whispered. "Duo is not going to like this." It was well known among the boys that though Duo had had a small friendship with the Schbeiker girl during the war so she would aid him, the fact that she'd turned into a hyper Relena made her someone he avoided at all costs.

_We arrived on the 31st of August, around 4:13pm, and we couldn't seem to find you anywhere. I instructed Pargan to find any hotels owned by Winner Enterprises Incorporated and leave this missive. Once he has discovered your whereabouts, he shall return to me and lead me to you. Hopefully we will be together soon, my love. Until then, sit tight and don't let that L2 boy get too close to you. You don't know what he may have contracted._

_Love you always,_

_Your Darling Relena_

_P.S. All the rest of you...Hi._

Wufei stared at the letter in disbelief for several moments, then looked up into Sandry's frightened eyes. "Miss Sandry?" he whispered.

"Yes, sir?" Sandry answered, a bit alarmed.

"Has three blonde women and a woman with dark, almost purplish black hair checked in anytime since yesterday?" he asked, folding the dreaded letter and slipping it into his pocket.

Sandry looked thoughtful. "Actually, sir, I seem to remember just such a group not thirty minutes ago, saying something about freshening up before going to look for 'her hero' or something. They said something about knowing he was here," she said.

"Shit," Wufei swore. He thought fast. "Miss Sandry, I want you to erase all hotel information pertaining to a Mr. Quatre Winner, a Mr. Duo Maxwell, a Mr. Heero Yuy, a Mr. Chang Wufei, and a Mr. Trowa Barton from your computer."

"I can't just do that, sirrah," she said nervously.

"Yes you can. Quatre Winner owns this building, and unless you want to be out of a job, do as I say," Wufei said. "Please. You seem like I nice lady. I would not want to see you fired." Normally Wufei would never conduct himself with such dishonor, but desperate times called for desperate measures, and it was an unspoken agreement that desperate measures sometimes went against one's teachings.

"Yes, sir. Right away, sir," Sandry said. She grinned at me. "I saw that line in a movie."

Wufei smiled back, then bowed to her. "Thank you, Miss Sandry. May Nataku watch over you and keep you safe." With that parting shot, he dashed for the stairs. The others would want this news right away.

**qpqpqpqpqp**

"Motherfucking hell!" Duo cried, kicking one of the hotel chairs. "How in Hades name did that bitch find us?"

"She is the Queen of the World, Duo. I'm sure she has her ways," Trowa said calmly, though he too was ready to pull out his hair.

"I know, Tro. But Goddammit!" Duo yelled. Then he grinned. "But she ain't the Queen anymore. Old Zechsinator is the King of Sanq now."

"And Zechs is the bastard who allowed that silly chit to go!" Wufei said, grimacing. "The sheer unfairness and dishonor in that alone makes me wonder how one such as he even presumes to rule over his subjects well."

Duo laughed. "If I didn't already know you were nobility on L5, Wu, I would have figured it by now," he said. "You got all holier-than-thou for a minute there."

"Zechs also allowed Miss Relena to bring Dorothy," Quatre said. The entire group did a full body shudder at that. The forked eyebrow girl freaked them all out. "I am beginning to think I should send a few delegates to usurp the throne. His decisions in so far have not been wise."

"Nothing is ever wise when it comes to Relena," Wufei muttered. Duo and Quatre laughed. Heero glared stonily at the wall, not saying anything. Of course, Duo couldn't accept that.

"What's your take on this, Hee-chan? You happy Queen Bitch has arrived to continue her ever impossible quest of sinking into you by clinging to your arm?" he joked, nudging Wing's pilot. It actually got Heero moving. Moving enough to pack, anyway.

"Gather your things. We must avoid the enemy at all costs," he said, his voice cold. "Winner, has the transaction for the Castle gone through?"

"I got the printout this morning. Heero, what..." Quatre began.

"We are going to the Castle. There is plenty of space. Relena doesn't know of it yet." He filled his duffel bag with his meager belongings, laptop, and neatly folded new robe.

"We hope," Duo muttered. "If the Pink Panther found us in Scotland, she can find out that we bought the Castle."

"True enough. But Yuy is right. We should be safe there for at least another day or two," Wufei defended. "But we have to hurry. Miss Sandry said that Relena spoke of freshening up not to long ago. She could be coming downstairs at anytime."

"Then let's haul ass, guys!" Duo cried, frantically filling his duffel bag. His every day clothes were thrown in haphazardly, his new robes folded and placed neatly. "Let's rock n' roll."

"I am ready," Trowa said.

"Ready," Wufei confirmed.

"Hn," Heero said.

"I am ready to go. Let's take my car, not the rental. The rental can be traced," Quatre said. He led the way himself out of their hotel room to the lobby. They froze, scanning the large, exposed space for Relena, before hurrying across the expanse and out the front door.

"We're checking out, Miss Sandry!" Wufei called, waving as he jogged past. Sandry only nodded, perplexed.

The group of boys entered the hotel garage and located the rental car, a Dodge Caravan, and Quatre's car, a black Jeep Rangler. "Hop in, guys," he said, throwing his bag in the back and slipping into the front seat. The others followed suit.

The Jeep was a four-seater, but with the bags and the fact that there were five of them, Wufei, Heero and Duo were squished in the back, Duo ending up half in Heero's lap. Trowa sat in the front with Quatre, who was driving.

"Hold on tight, boys," Quatre said with a grin, then revved the engine, backed up crazily, and literally spun out on the asphalt in the garage before careening onto the street. You wouldn't know it by the look of him, but Quatre had some serious road rage. He drove like a psycho on acid, and enjoyed every minute of it. The only other person who enjoyed Quatre's driving, weirdly, was Wufei. The rest contented themselves with shouting curses.

"Goddammit, Quatre, you could have hit that tree!" Trowa yelled. Quatre had road rage; Trowa had fear of the road. Even with his multi-license to drive just about anything in any condition, Quatre's driving freaked him out.

"Fuck, Q-bean, you took that turn too tight! I coulda fallen out!" Duo yelled.

"Sorry, Duo," Quatre said, taking another turn that turned them on two wheels for a moment or two. Duo pitched forward into Heero's lap.

"Damnit all to a fiery hell and back!" Duo cursed, shruggling to pull himself up. Quatre made on last sharp turn, unfortunately while Duo was still moving, and they had arrived at the Castle. The momentum threw Duo out and he bounced a few times before skidding to a stop about 30 feet from the Jeep.

"Duo!" Quatre cried, hopping out.

"Maxwell, are you all right?" Wufei asked, climbing out. Surprisingly, it was Heero who reached Duo first.

"Injuries?" Heero asked in that familiar flat tone.

"I'm okay, Heero," Duo said, standing and dusting himself off. He began to head for the jeep to retrieve his bag but he cried out and fell to his knees. Heero moved forward and knelt before him. "I think I hurt my ankle," Duo muttered, wincing as he stretched his foot out.

Heero immediately took action, pushing up Duo's pant leg and removing his shoe and sock. He felt over the ankle quickly and deemed it sprained. "You have sprained your ankle. You cannot walk on it for at least a week, and you require medical attention," he stated calmly.

"Don't worry about it, Hee-chan. I've suffered worse during the war. You know that," Duo said, struggling to stand. Quatre, Trowa and Wufei moved forward to help him, worry and guilt overshadowing Quatre's pale face.

"We are not currently engaged in war," Heero said. "We must return to town so you may receive proper medical attention."

"I'm so sorry, Duo! I know I have a driving problem, and..." Quatre began.

"Don't sweat it, Q," Duo chuckled. He turned to Heero. "We can't go back to town. Queen Bitch is there, and she'll spot us."

"If she hasn't already," Wufei muttered. The others nodded.

"Accepted. I will treat you inside," Heero said. He lifted Duo and strode toward the front door of the Castle. Quatre hurried forward to unlock it. Wufei and Trowa gathered their bags, and all five went inside.

**qpqpqpqpqp**

Somewhere deep inside Hogwarts dungeons, three wizards and a witch carefully tended the magical fire under a gigantic cauldron in the center of an empty classroom. The witch, Marcella Thurmond, Slytherin, threw in some dried flobberworms. She stirred carefully, and then backed away.

The first wizard, a young Slytherin of seventeen years, Draco Malfoy, added the lacewing and fairy dust concoction created that very day. The murky black potion flashed for a moment, then turned bright red.

The second wizard, none other than Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Defeated-Voldemort, cautiously poured a full vial of phoenix tears into the cauldron. A puff of smoke burst up, and when it dissipated, the contents of the cauldron were a bright white.

"Almost there, Harry," Marcella whispered, taking out her wand and pointing it at the cauldron. Draco did the same. The last wizard, Potion's Master and Hogwarts Professor Severus Snape, waved his wand over the cauldron and a stream of crystalline water fell, purified by whatever elements came from the enchanted piece of wood.

"Are you sure about this, Severus?" Harry asked, eyeing the bubbling cauldron with suspicion. The huge concoction was, supposedly, meant to return the wizarding world to its former state before the reign of Voldemort. Supposedly. Unfortunately, it hadn't been tested. They were throwing stones in the dark.

"Yes, Harry. Now add the last ingredient and cast your shield. You too, Draco, Marcella," Snape said, casting a strong shield around himself to keep out magical influences as well as physical ones, i.e.; steaming hot, unpredictable potion.

Draco and Marcella cast their shields, and Harry brought out his wand and prepared. He reached over the cauldron and let go of the Acromantula leg (given a bit unwillingly), then backed away before it touched the rest of the potion and cast a strong shield on himself and his companions.

The Acromantula leg hit the concoction with a splash, and nothing happened. The assembled group held their breath. Nothing happened for several moments, and then the potion gave a burp and turned clear. The group sighed. It had worked.

"It's done, Severus," Harry murmured, removing the shield protecting all of them.

"I am aware of that, nephew. Must you always state the obvious?" Snape snapped (A/N: giggle), glaring at Harry. Somehow the murderous look didn't carry the same power as it had before. Snape's eyes showed slight amusement and warmth. "Now stop lollygagging and help me levitate this cauldron outside. It is supposed to be poured on the ground and absorbed."

"We know that, Severus," Marcella said, laughing. "We researched the bloody thing, too."

"Five points from Slytherin for cursing in front of a teacher, Ms. Thurmond. Do not let me hear you again," Snape said, smirking. (A/N: Alliteration! ) Marcella pouted and turned back to the cauldron.

"Well, let's get to it, then," she said, waving her wand and muttering a quick "_Wingardium Leviosa_." The cauldron rose a bit. Draco added his own floating charm to it, and it went up a few more feet. Harry also gave his assistance, and the cauldron reached waist level. Severus waved his wand at the door, and the quartet filed out.

They traveled through the halls of the empty school of magic. It was Christmas hols, and all the students were away except the two Slytherins, a Gryffindor, and some random Hufflepuff no one cared much for. They entered the Entrance Hall, Marcella waving to the Bloody Baron as she passed, and through the front doors onto the lawn. When they were at about the edge of the Forbidden Forest, they stopped.

"Alright, children. At the count, tip the cauldron onto the ground. I will conjure pedestals for you to stand on," said Severus. True to his word, they were all soon standing on white marble pedestals with easily accessible hand holds, "in case you dunderheads fall." "One...." The group trembled. "Two...." Draco's wand wavered. "Three!"

All three young magic folk twirled their wands a bit, causing the cauldron to tip toward the ground. Severus kept his wand pointed at the cauldron just in case, after quickly casting more protection charms. Slowly, the thick concoction dripped from the cauldron into a large clear puddle on the grass. Marcella panicked and conjured a broom, climbing onto it before going back to her task of helping them pour. In the split second her wand had been off the cauldron, it had fallen several feet, drawing gasps from her colleagues. She quickly amended her mistake.

Seeing the merit in her idea, Severus summoned his own Nimbus 2000, Draco's 2001 and Harry's Firebolt. They all mounted, feeling considerably safer in the air. The puddle on the ground had begun to expand and writhe a bit.

"Is it supposed to do that?" Draco asked over the loud popping sounds the potion began making.

"How the bloody hell should we know?!" Marcella said back.

"Five points, Ms. Thurmond," Snape said, anxiously watching the seething potion.

"Sev, it's glowing!" Harry cried, inching back with his broom.

"We can see that, Potter," Draco sniped, fear making him his usual obnoxious self.

"Shove it, Malfoy!" Harry snapped. Draco opened his mouth to answer, but was distracted by the ever increasing bright light coming from the potion. It grew and grew until they couldn't see in front of them, Then with a bright flash, it was gone.

And in its place were ten bedraggled teenagers.

**qpqpqp**Definitely gonna be continued...**qpqpqpqp**


End file.
